The Indianapolis journal., 1887-05-18
HADDOCK'S COMPATRIOT
The Murder of Editor Gambrell Because
of His Prohibition Sentiments.
Foul and Brutal Crime Committed by Mis-
sissippi Senator-A Companion-Piece to
the Iowa Liquor Power Association.

The World at the time gave very full ac-
count of the killing at jackson, Miss, on Thurs
day night. May ), of .oung Roderick Dhu GAM
brell. the hoy editor of Prohibition news
paper in that place. by Colonel Hamilton, leader
of the antiProhbition party in Kinds county.
Further details by mail give to the killing the
appearance of deliberate assassination and the
preliminary proceedings in court. which begin
to-day. are confidently looked to by the young
mans friends to fully establish the fact. The
killing has created the most intense excitement
in the South and Southwest where, curlously
enough. the prohibition movement is developing
greater strength than in perhaps any other sec
ton in the country.
Young Gambrell was a son of the Rev. j. B.
Gambrell a Baptist clergyman He was born in
the town of Chuckaluck, in one of the eastern
counties of Virginia, on Dec 81, 1865, but was
carried by his parents while yet an infant to
Mississippi, and passed his boyhood il Waller
vile, West Point and Canton. He got his pre-
paratory education from his mother, and went
for time to the Mississippi College, at Clinton.
but did not stay to graduate On leaving college
he applied himself to learning the art of print
ing, and at the age of seventeen was made busi-
ness manager of his fathers paper, the Baptist
Record. published at Clinton. Shortly afterward
his father and uncle, j. n. Gambrell, bought
temperance paper called the August. and changed
the name to Sword and Shield. OF this paper
young Rcderck was made editor. Early in JAN
uary, 1885, young Gambrell moved his paper to
jackson. where he was burnt out in the follow
ing February. As soon, however. new ma
terial could be obtained the publication
resumed, and he continued to advocate temper
and reform. His father soon followed him
10 Jackson with the Baptist Record. and both
papers have since been published there, where
family consisted. besides Roderick, of his moth
er, two younger brothers. and four little sis
ters. They all highly esteemed, and
Roderick was especially admired for his talent,
his blameless life answering devotion to prin-
ciple, and fearless expression of opinion.
After the publication of q recent severe article,
it was generally expected that Colonel Hamilton
would make assault on the young editor but
days went by without his fulfilling that expecta
ton, aud public interest in the controversy began
to wane. Gambrel1s friends believe that
this policy of inaction on the Coonels part
deliberately adopted to throw the young man off
his guard and render him a more easy victim
Rumors designed to throw discredit on the char
acter of young Gambrell were. however. set
afloat by some persons, presumably the partisans
Of Hamilton, and to these young Gambrell re-
piled with vigor in the next issue of his paper
It would appear from the evidence taken at
the inquest that the movements of both young
Gambrell aud his father were all the time care
fullv watched by certain persons who regularly
made reports thereon to Colonel Hamilton. This
evidence was given by of the spies un-
murder named Eubank who lived in
Hamilton's house and generally accompanied
him his drives Thus it was duly made
known to Hamilton on the morning of the fatal
day that young Gambrell had gone to Clinton
by Vicksburg and Meridian train, and that
evening when the $40 train, by which it
supposed that Gambrell would return from Clin
ton. was due at Jackson, Colonel Hamilton.
Eubank and William Hardy, the colored driver
of Colonel Hamiltons carryall. were with the
vehicle in close proximity TO the station. With
the Colonel and his relatives two other
men. j. W. Albright and W. H. Figures, both
of whom identified with the liquor and
sporting interests. and do not enjoy enviable
regulations.
According to the testimony of Eubank. Har dy
had told him early in the evening to tell Mrs.
Hamilton that the Colonel would not be home
to supper, he had to be at the station with the
carryal Ito meet someone who was coming in
by the $40 train.' According, also, to this Same
mans testimony the Colonel. with the men
named, in saloon opposite the station
drinking until the train arrived. Then the
Colonel went over to the cars and watched the
passen gers come out, but did not speak to any
one. Young Gambrell was of those who got
out of the train. So far Eubank is corroborated
by other witnesses, but to what followed he
fatty contradicted by the testimony of dis
interested persons He said that after Gambrell
had left the station. walking up Capitol street
levidenty on his way home), the Colonel and
himself entered the carryall and, with
Hardy driving, started up Capitol street,
Albright and Figures remaining at the
saloon opposite the station. short distance
tol street spanning gully dry bed of creek.
The bridge is pretentious structure, having
carriageway, division for street-car tracks and
sidewalks for pedestrians guarded by iron rail-
ings. AS Eubank's story goes. when the carry
all going east rolled up on the western approach
to the bridge he sat with his back to the north.
facing Colonel Hamilton. The pace of theAI
horses was checked soon as they got upon the
bridge and just at that moment a pistolshot was
fred by some the north sidewalk behind.
and a trif1e the right of the witness. Colonel
Hamilton Immediately jumped out of the vehicle
by the rear, exclaimning he did that he
believed he was shot. The Colonel returned the
fire as he out of the vehicle, but the
witness saw more because the driver Hardy
whipped up his horses and carried him some
distance beyond the bridge before he pulled
them up.
The bridge is at comparatively unfreouented
part of the street, but it happened that there
were several persons in the immediate neiehbor-
hood though not upon the bridge at the time.
The testimony of these persons agrees that it |
was bright moonlight night; that there was no
vehicle upon the bridge or even in sight when |
the shooting began; that one shot was fired first |
and followed after almost inappreciable in |
terval by at least three shots fred simultan- |
eously. then regular volley and then single |
final shot; that simultaneously with the first |
shot there a loud cry of '.murder" that the |
first and three succeeding shots appeared to be |
fired from the carrageway of the bridge. and
some of those following from the eastern end: |
that Immediately after the final shot there was |
a succession of thuds. as if some person were |
beating body with heavy instrument that |
several persons were Seeu TuuuluS away AEom /
the bridge in different directions Immediately |
after the cession of the shooting and finally that
Eubank Albright and Figures were all in close |
proximity to the bridge suspiciously soon after |
the shooting was over Colonel Hamilton was |
the only person the bridge whom a constable |
who had seen the flashes ran to the structure.
Some witnesses testified to hearing the Colonel |
saw to the constable: II believe that fellows /
killed me-" but the constable testified that Ham
ilton simply said he hurt, and raised his |
vest to show him blood stain on his shirt. He |
also had TOO wounds in the left arm
GambriiTs almost lifeless body was found un- |
Ger the railing of the north sidewalk his feet in |
the carriageway and the trunk upon the side |
walk HIS skull crushed and his face /
frightfully mutilated by blows from the butt of |
q pistol, and there were several deep indenta-
tions in the planking about the place where his |
head lay, showing Individually that the blows on |
the head and face had been inflicted after he had
fallen. Moreover. examination of the body |
showed that of the bullets penetrated it |
tha rirht from, aft and